Now Could Be The Time To Shift Your Contact Center To The Cloud

If you operate an on-premises contact center, you could be in the process of shifting to a cloud-based model or at least considering doing so. Analysts expect the number of cloud contact center seats to grow by 23% in 2020 and 21% in 2021.

Here at Avaya, we’ve been seeing a steady rise in customers looking to replace their on-premise contact center with a more flexible cloud solution. Here are the top benefits of cloud contact center solutions today:

Easy management of remote and work-from-home agents

If ever the time comes when you need to migrate to a remote model, you should be able to seamlessly do so without affecting productivity or quality of customer service. We are seeing this right now as enterprises are trying to quickly transition their global workforces to a virtual model in response to developments surrounding coronavirus (COVID-19).

Remote contact center agents need the same access to tools and applications as they do in the office, including access to the same subject matter experts as those who have supervisors and expert resources on-site. Management needs access to the right tools to easily manage remote agents, including supervisors who work remotely. With a cloud contact center solution, all you need is a browser for getting started with advanced features like skills-based routing, transfer and conference, end-to-end call recording, quality management, screen recording, real-time transcriptions, intelligent voice response, and historical and real-time reporting and analytics, etc. Most vendors also offer 99.99% availability through geographically distributed locations, networks and servers.

Avaya has enabled companies to move over 2.1 million workers and contact center agents to a remote working model during COVID-19 with special remote offers. If your organization needs help, please reach out here.

Effortless upgrades

With a cloud contact center solution, your vendor keeps everything updated and secure with the latest releases and features so you don’t need to lift a finger. It’s as simple as signing on to find your solution stocked with the newest capabilities and upgrades your organization can immediately use to better serve customers. There’s no delay between the time that upgrades are released and when you can deploy them, and no need to disrupt work by temporarily shutting down systems. You’ll be free from the confines of slow release cycles that threatens innovation, and you’ll save all that time (and money) you used to spend testing everything to make sure it works with your infrastructure and other systems.

Cost and deployment flexibility

Transition to the cloud faster with a range of deployment options, whether you start with only a few agents in a single process, a single location or your complete operation. Here at Avaya, our customers can combine their existing Avaya scalability and flexibility with advanced contact center capabilities, comprehensive analytics, and powerful agent tools--all served from a reliable, security tested cloud.

In terms of costs, you pay only for what you use with the ability to ramp up or down as needed. Let’s say you operate in hospitality or transportation; industries being hit hard by the current coronavirus outbreak. You’re seeing an enormous spike in calls about reservations, cancellations, itinerary inquiries and more. With a cloud contact center solution, you can quickly scale to support this spike in volume, supporting tens of thousands of agents if necessary, and then ramp down when the dust settles. There’s no need to store unused licenses for occasional peaks, and you never have to pay for unused capacity.

Control over pace of cloud migration

If moving your contact center to the cloud was so simple, you would have done it by now. You need to be able to migrate at your own pace to minimize risks of the transition and with no business disruption. Maybe you want to move call traffic to the cloud gradually. Maybe you want to do it all at once. You might want to keep your on-premises deployment around workforce engagement and move other applications to the cloud. It’s your migration; you should have complete control over the process, with full availability and functionality at all times. Not all cloud contact center solutions are created equal in this aspect. Look for a solution that allows you to make the transition at a pace that works for you.

Stay ahead of expectations

There are high expectations and infinite possibilities for the way that customers and employees interact with your business. They’re using a broad number of digital tools, touchpoints and interaction types, and they expect an effortless experience every time. Immediate access to the latest contact center capabilities related to self-service, Artificial Intelligence (AI), performance management and more means you can solidly stay ahead of expectations and preferences.

Consider the ability to incorporate AI and machine learning into voice and text-based interactions. This enables capabilities like conversational intelligence, which is a quick growing trend in the contact center

Be prepared for the next cycle of coronavirus and other unforeseen crises

Health experts are now predicting that the coronavirus will return next Fall. And let’s not lose sight that the tornado and hurricane season is just around the corner. It’s hard to predict what other crises will appear in the months and years ahead. But now could be the time to future-proof your contact center -and business - by moving to a cloud model. Moving to the cloud could enable you to quickly deploy (hours not days) a virtual, seamless contact center since your agents and supervisors have access to the same customer experience tools in a virtual environment as they do in the office.

Bolster your customer engagement, empower your agents and advance your business with a cloud contact center solution. If you’re not sure how to make the move, our team can help you map your migration strategy. Jump start your custom cloud journey with Avaya.

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Mike Butts

Mike has 10 years of contact center experience and more than 25 years of business-to-business marketing experience crafting and executing go-to-market strategies for engineered and technology solutions. At Avaya, Mike focuses on Avaya Workforce Optimization, and agent desktop and contact center solutions for midsize businesses.